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Sloop of War Constellation c.1856 in 1/36 RC

This project started way back at the beginning of 1999. Some home remodeling, a couple of moves, a really long commute to work, a small horse farm, more moves, and a big bundle of the stuff life tosses at you had the project shelved for a long time. It's on the bench again, and moving along.

This model is of the Fisrt Class Sloop-of-War Constellation which exists today as a museum ship in the harbor at Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

The model is based on a copy of 1/36th scale plans drawn by John Lenthall in 1854 and acquired from the National Archives and the builder's half model at the US Naval Academy, also in 1/36 scale. This makes the model about 62 inches on her spar deck.

The hull is 3/16th luan forms covered in wite pine ribbands or battens. This is covered in wet and stick brown packing tape (BPT). BPT shrinks when it dries and after 10+ years, the hull is still tight as a drum head.

The plan was that this hull was a sacrificial plug. A glass mold would be made from it and it would basically be destroyed in removing it from the mold. That plan's changed; now it's going to be the finished hull. It will be glassed, inside and out, encasing keel, BTP, and battens in the final hull.

Obviously the point here is a working, sailing model; albeit one that will be over 10 feet long from the tip of her bowsprit to the end of her spanker boom.

She will be radio controlled; rudder, foremast sails, main & mizzen sails, and fore-and-aft sails on separate channels.

sails

I'll post updates on her construction in this thread. For more details and larger photos, click the signature below.